GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Fifteen University of North Dakota hockey players were named to the 2017-18 National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Academic All-Conference Team on Wednesday, with eight of those players earning additional honors as NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes for their exceptional academic accomplishments.

Additionally, Anderson, Hoff, Johnson, Peski, Poolman, Simonson, Smith and Yon were also named 2017-18 Distinguished Scholar-Athletes (previously called the Scholar-Athlete Team) for possessing a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. UND’s eight selections to the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team were the second-most of any NCHC school behind only Omaha’s 10.

Freshmen and transfers who qualify for either list will be added by the NCHC over the summer.

The 2017-18 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award will be announced at the NCHC Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 15 in Saint Paul, Minn., on the eve of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.

To view the entire 2017-18 NCHC Academic All-Conference and Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams, including the selections from all eight NCHC institutions, click on the PDF press release under 'Related Links.'